Uplift Yourself, Uplift the World

Empowering students as their own first line of defense against stress, anxiety, and depression is the primary goal of Uplift Yourself, Uplift the World (UPLIFT), a project that will stage touring mindfulness carnivals on several college campuses this spring. UPLIFT mindfulness carnivals will be held in student centers, dining halls and other high-traffic areas to highlight existing mindfulness resources available to students on their campuses - with the added draw of incorporating new tech innovations.

Interactive biofeedback technology will act as the centerpiece of the mindfulness carnivals. UPLIFT is partnering with engineering students at the University of Pennsylvania, and other schools, to build a large tower which connects to a NeuroSky MindWave headset. Students will be able to "lift" a globe themed beach ball with their mind by donning the headset and achieving a state of peaceful relaxation. The Awesome Foundation NYC grant will go toward the development of this centerpiece. Everything from the tower build to the carnivals themselves will be documented and posted on the project's YouTube Channel.

The organizers of UPLIFT hope to create an event which can be easily replicated again and again, and which will continue to encourage interaction between mindfulness and technology. The inaugural UPLIFT carnival will take place at Wesleyan University in April 2013.